Born on 23 March 1958, the eldest child of Dr Martin and Mrs Grace Martin, Wing Commander Mukul Ekka hailed from the tribal belt of Ranchi, Jharkhand (then Bihar). His father was a surgical specialist and had hoped Mukul would eventually follow in his footsteps and take over the family hospital. But Mukul had other dreams. Aviation had already captured his imagination, and his joining the NDA came as a surprise to his family.

Growing up in rugged terrain and extreme temperatures had forged in him a natural resilience. At the NDA, he took to its famously tough regimen “like a fish to water.” Blessed with a robust physique, a large heart and an infectious sense of humour, he quickly became a much-loved mate—a reputation that stayed with him throughout his life.

Admiral K.B. Singh fondly remembers Ekka as “IAS – Invisible After Sunset!” He was a joyful soul who took teasing in good spirit, maintained unbreakable bonds with his course-mates and kept morale high through the toughest Hunter Squadron routines.

Mukul was the ultimate wingman, always ready to stand in for a friend—whether for Singarh, ET runs, PT or swimming tests. From 1976 to 1979, he looked after R.K. Sharma and his other Hunter mates with unwavering loyalty.

At Camp Greenhorn, he famously carried two rifles while helping drag an exhausted mate to the finish, contributing decisively to Hunter Squadron securing the top position. That achievement earned our young bunch the respect of the Squady, DivOs and Squadron appointments.

IP Singh vividly recalls another classic Ekka episode—the “4th mid-term hijacking” of tea and delicious samosas for Hunter Squadron, which our H56 group promptly demolished, sometimes a dozen each! That was Ekka—generous, mischievous and always thinking of his mates.

One of the three “flyboys” of the 56th Course in Hunter Squadron, Mukul began his operational career flying the single-engined DHC-3 Otter at Sarsawa. He flew relentlessly, often putting duty before rest and comfort, sometimes sleeping aboard the aircraft and getting back to operations without even visiting the Officers’ Mess.

Flying was clearly his first love. Iyer recalls that soon after Mukul’s marriage, the CO jokingly asked Maureen Dolly, “Kya sauten ke saath samjhauta ho gaya?” Dolly was initially bewildered, until it was explained that the “sautan” was Mukul’s first love—flying!

His dedication was legendary. During a Christmas holiday, while flying an AN-32 from Jorhat to Bangalore, he cheerfully explained why he was flying on Christmas Day: he had volunteered for all holiday commitments, and had even given this in writing to his Flight Commander!

During his Sarsawa tenure, Mukul faced two engine failures and successfully force-landed his aircraft—once on a riverbed near Yamunanagar and later near Churu. Both landings were so skilfully executed that the aircraft could subsequently be repaired and flown away. For his exceptional airmanship and for ensuring the safety of his passengers, valuable load and aircraft, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry).

Ironically, despite having only three flying tenures during his 26 years in the Air Force, Mukul amassed over 5,000 hours of flying—an extraordinary achievement. He later transitioned to the AN-32 transport aircraft.

Mukul was also an avid photographer. His camera and specialised attachments went everywhere with him. After every event, everyone eagerly awaited his photographs. In those days, getting negatives developed and printed took time and money, but the wait was always worthwhile. His photographs reflected both his artistic eye and his passion.

Mukul leaves behind his beloved wife, Maureen Dolly, and two children. Angel, the elder, is an educator working in a Gurugram school. Michael, who holds a Master’s degree in Architecture, is pursuing his Doctorate in Helsinki.

Wing Commander Mukul Ekka’s grit, warmth, humour, loyalty and legendary dedication to flying and his friends have left an enduring legacy in the hearts of his family, course-mates and the Indian Air Force.

Penned by Rajiv Battish with inputs from PK Iyer and Hunter Sqn mates

🙏 May his soul rest in eternal peace 🙏